Underneath It All
by pipercostelloruib
Summary: Underneath it all Congo is caring unlike his usual self that Piper sees. CongoxOC oneshot OOC Congo


p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"He was a difficult man, that part must be said, for none craved perfection as deeply and as fervently as the magnificent maestro, Lord Roderich of Austria. Nicknamed Austria by most because of his position within that artistic country, the man was not one to permit imperfections within his company or his possible partners. To that extent your presence at his grand hunt ball was no really what he had expected and you doubted he appreciated it. /p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"With your family's background as a bunch of commoners, risen to the top from service in the military, no one believed you to be of REAL nobility and it was frustrating. Your sisters and your overly excitable mother had never helped in the situation and you had remained the only sensible and quiet member of the family. However, your terrible fondness for reading books and ignoring other individuals in the room had given you a snobby yet 'enlightened' and terribly rebellious reputation when you never stepped out of the house. p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"Well, to be honest things were not so aggressive between yourself and Austria, maybe your family frustrated him but he was quite tolerable towards you. In fact he had been the one to invite your family to the ball and he had made a point of enjoying your company at the Duke of Brittany's summer ball. The pair of you had sat on the side lines discussing Mozart and books whilst all the other young couples had danced. But now everyone was eyeing your simple creamy coloured dress with lilac trim with great displeasure, if only because you were not wearing the insane white wigs or the giant cages beneath your skirts. p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"The music was dull and you were doing your best to hide behind the varied companies upon the tables that were drinking, joshing or playing cards in amusement as the youth danced. Your mother and father were locked into a game of cards; using money that you rolled your eyes over… you couldn't really afford them to loose money like that. But then as you shuffled to a corridor, you spotted a comfortable looking room to the side where there was no one else to bother you. p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"Shuffling inside you settled down on a comfortable looking sofa with a small book you'd snuck into your large sleeves. Breathing a sigh you continued reading your little romantic story with a broad smile upon your face, enjoying the words and drowning out the noise of the party behind them. However, you were not left alone long before a strange shuffled into the room and tried to quietly close the door. You had not noticed him until the moment he placed a hand upon your shoulder, making you jump in surprise. p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;""Hello little darling… stepping away from the crowd for a bit of fun perhaps?" The voice belonged to an elder man, someone you did not know whose bony fingers pinched at your body and made you shudder. Slowly you turned your head up and noticed the long-nosed bug-eyed aristocrat who was practically drooling down upon you, probably for the size of your cleavage alone! p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"Straight away you stood yourself up, pulling down your long skirt so nothing could be seen and trying to seem defensive. You had heard from others in this position that the worst thing possible was to look weak or submissive and you certainly weren't like that! With a gentle growl you straightened yourself and pointed a neatly gloved finger towards the man who stared at you with the rabid eyes of a starving jackal. p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;""Get away from me you pervert – lest I tell your wife and friends your insulting words and manner this night." You were not really sure if the words sounded tough enough to work, but they certainly made you feel better. However, your enemy merely strode forward with a cruel determination that caused you to back away towards the door, to your surprise safety came when you hooked your hand about it and jerked it open fast, slamming yourself into the wall and out of sight. The stranger was left standing and looking stupid towards the elder man who'd just been clobbered by the door. Pretty soon a quarrel began and you were able to close the door again and this time turn about on your seat to face it. p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"It was nearly an hour later that the next person arrived in the room, Roderich, looking flustered and fearful as he leapt in, slammed the door and then ducked behind it. The door was swung open with an irritating high-pitched whine from a shrieking little figure whose voice did not match her petite stature. She was of good breeding and was looking for him with the intensity of any woman trying to claim a husband, but when she caught sight of you reading and staring at her, she apologised and closed the door. Austria slowly stepped over to your side. p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;""Thank goodness for that… I thought she'd never leave! Uh… lady _, you seem to have been more eager to escape the chaos then I. Would I be permitted to remain skulking in this old drawing room with you? Nothing untoward would occur I assure you." Austria sighed, seeming to puff a big cloud of relief as you chuckled and nodded your head. As he then strolled to the sofa beside you, Roderich slumped down in a most ignoble fashion and spent a good few minutes catching his breath. You ignored him, reading away and assured that he was unlikely to do anything. p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;"Yet the whole time his soft chocolate coloured eyes had been spinning over your form in surprise, as if seeing you for the first time ever. He noted the graceful manner of your chin, your large shining eyes, the stoic expression upon your face, the occasional tweak at your cheek that hinted enjoyment… you were terribly beautiful to him. When he looked at your book his eyes seemed to waver in an unusual passion… you were reading about music! Roderich seemed to look to you with a gentle chuckle and then held out a hand to you. p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;" p  
>p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #2c3635; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.5px;""Forgive me Lady _, I haven't greeted you properly today… please, allow me." He stated with a cute smile that made your cheek flush in surprise. No one had ever greeted you properly and shaking you lowered your book and stretched out your left hand to him. His soft elegant fingers shifted around your limb, hooking it with all the delicacy of fine silk as he gently eased it toward his soft, trembling lips and placed a soft little kiss to it. Then with a flash he lurched forward to press those same quivering pink petals against your silken mouth. In a sudden flush of excitement and pleasure you practically swooned, but then Roderich released you and gave a soft smile. "Perhaps I could escort you back for a dance now?" p 


End file.
